A Concert to Remember
by Aria Breuer
Summary: Frodo is the local conductor for the Hobbiton Orchestra. When he meets Pearl Took for the first time, Frodo comes face-to-face with his arch nemesis and conductor for the jazz section, Lotho Sackville-Baggins. Will Frodo win Pearl's heart on the night of the concert? Or will his duel with Lotho never end?
1. One-Shot: Before the Concert

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_. J.R.R. Tolkien does.

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Thanks goes to Adeleidhis for helping me brainstorm ideas for this story. :)

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 **One-Shot:**

 **Before the Concert**

Frodo Baggins searched through the dresser drawers for his jacket. He had a black jacket, fit for tonight's occasion. Now, where was it?! Surely, he didn't drop it somewhere or leave it lost in the wash… nope. There it was! He pulled it out and put it on. It was a little tight, but it would have to do.

He looked himself in the mirror. Still the fair-faced, blue-eyed hobbit with combed curly brown hair. He wore his black jacket over his black waistcoat, white dress shirt, beige suspenders, and black knee-breeches. Yes, he was ready. Now, he just needed to make sure that everyone was attending, when he got to Methel Stage in Bywater.

No. He would find out how many were attending – orchestra, jazz section, and the audience alike – when he arrived. Right now, he needed to leave Bag End and head that way. At last, he reached the front green door and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. There was his best friend, Samwise Gamgee, the brown-haired hobbit, seated on the bench outside his house.

"Are you ready to go?" Sam asked, curious. "Big night! Orchestrating a band isn't easy."

"I know, Sam." Frodo said, intrigued. He followed his friend past the gate and down the road. "I can't believe it! Big night! Whose attending?"

"Well, Pippin's sister Pearl is going to be there with Lotho." Sam inquired. Pearl Took had been courting Lotho Sackville-Baggins for two years now. So far, things weren't going the way Pearl wanted, but then Frodo hated that she was courting his nemesis. "Also, Lotho's going to orchestra the jazz section."

Frodo stopped. "Why is Lotho doing that?"

"I don't know. Maybe to see whose boss," Sam shrugged.

"Well, he's not getting away this time," Frodo said, annoyed.

"I know! The last thing we need is Lotho ruining your night," Sam said, frustrated.

"Then let's hope this concert goes well. I hate doing a battle of the bands with another conductor, even Lotho."

"I hear you, Mr. Frodo." Sam nodded.

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The second Frodo and Sam got to Methel Stage, the first thing Frodo saw was Lotho was also wearing black and white. Frodo looked on at the orchestra. There they were with their instruments, but there was the jazz section off to the right, as well as two podiums up front.

Frodo shook his head. It was now or never.

"Lotho," Frodo said, before noticing that Pearl was dressed in a lavender gown, "Pearl." He gulped. "You look… beautiful."

Pearl giggled. "Thank you, Frodo."

"Well, look who decided to show up!" Lotho said, shrewdly. "I'm going to wipe the floor with you and be none the wiser!"

"Oh yeah?" Sam asked, encouraging his best friend, "Well, Mr. Frodo is going to come after you and teach you whose boss! Isn't that right, Mr. Frodo?"

Frodo looked at Sam like he was half-mad. Was this brawl ever going to end?

"Please, let's save the dramatics for the stage." Frodo said, encouraging them to be more civilized.

"Humph. Of all the nerve!" Lotho said, walking towards the right podium.

Frodo returned his gaze to Pearl, just as Sam wished him "good luck" and sat down. Pearl was too beautiful. Why did they ever break up?

"I should go," Frodo said, making his way towards the stage, too.

"Good luck, Frodo." Pearl said, smiling. "I know you can beat Lotho at his game."

Frodo faced her, stunned that she would say that. He nodded, grateful to have such good friends by his side, during these trying times. At last, he climbed up the wooden steps and reached the left podium. There was his baton, ready to go. He looked at the orchestra, winking at them, before checking on Lotho. He was good to go, too.

Frodo sighed, knowing this was it! It was time to begin the show.

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Thanks for reading. :)


	2. One-Shot: Orchestra versus Jazz

I'll admit this was a tricky chapter, due to it being an instrumental musical battle. Usually, in this case, there aren't any words. So, being able to do this was a brand-new challenge. Hopefully, I did everything justice, which includes characters, music, and so on. Enjoy. :)

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 **One-Shot:**

 **Orchestra versus Jazz**

It started out with the simple, sweet notes coming from the harp and fiddle, blended together in an elegant form of passion, only to be added by the lightness of the drums and the mixture of the oboe.

Frodo sighed in admiration. This was the tune he'd been waiting to hear—

No! Another tune was being carried out. It came from the drums and cymbals over by the jazz section! What was Lotho doing, interrupting his start? At last, the tune Lotho was blowing away had reached its end, allowing Frodo the chance to bring in another sound. That of a second fiddle.

Next came the clarinet, bringing with it a whole new beat—

"Hey!" Lotho complained. "Get off my stage!"

"You get off mine!" Frodo fought right back.

"You can do it, Frodo!" Pearl cried out in joyously delight.

"Don't give him encouragement!" Lotho belted, causing his horn to belt out a flat note. "There you see! I know what I'm doing!"

Frodo ignored Lotho, waving the baton in the air for the flutes and clarinets to continue playing their beautiful sound. It was a joy to hear those two instruments play in the same tone of quality. Such beauty! Such elegance! What could possibly bring this to a close?

The horns belted again from the jazz section, as well as a new kind of sound. It was strange to the blue-eyed gentle-hobbit's ears. It sounded like a horn, but it also sounded unique, different. He never heard this tune before. It made him stop and think for a moment. What was it called?

"That is an alto saxophone. My own making!" Lotho said, shrewdly.

"You didn't make that instrument!" Frodo told him off.

"I did, too! Ask anybody!" Lotho said, facing his jazz section.

"No, you didn't." The hobbits in the jazz section shook their heads.

Lotho threw his baton on the ground in shame. He had never been so humiliated in his entire life!

"This band stinks! I'm going to look for Mama!" He leapt off the stage, tearing out of the open theater.

Frodo met the gaze of the jazz section and the orchestra section. They were looking for his support, his guidance. Luckily, Frodo had prepared ahead of time and asked them to turn to their new books for the next piece to play. He waved his baton and began playing the new tune with them.

The tune began with the cymbals being struck in soft motions. Then it was the drums. With a last note, the suspense rose. The fiddles worked their magic, sending off the suspense in slow meters. It was a new tune that Frodo had thought of, one that would bring the orchestra and jazz sections together. He looked to the lute players to take over, ready to soar into action.

And so they did, playing the main instrumental lyrics that he wanted them to play. The orchestra was back, uplifting their song until it was recognizable. He looked to the audience as they sang the familiar song, giving them hope in the darkness of the night.

" _Oh you can search far and wide,  
You can drink the whole town dry…"_

Frodo chuckled, delighted to hear the Green Dragon inn's tune. It was nice to hear it and such a way to start the concert off right. He shook his head and smiled, glad that everything worked out the way it was supposed to. Now, they could all enjoy the night in peace, without any more interruptions.

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Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

The Green Dragon inn song is from New Line Cinema's 2003 live-action film "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King".


	3. One-Shot: Best Friends?

This is the last chapter of this story. :)

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 **One-Shot:**

 **Best Friends?**

Frodo set the baton down, the last notes fading from the instruments. At first, there was silence, then it turned into cheers. Frodo faced the crowd in cheery spirits. Good. He did something right!

He nodded, gesturing to the orchestra and jazz section to also take credit for their feat. He looked at them in happiness and hope. Frodo sighed, heading down the wooden steps in full glory, surprised that Pearl rushed in and embraced him.

"Oh! We're doing this!" Frodo said, stunned.

"Oh Frodo, you were wonderful," Pearl said, kissing him flat on the lips. Frodo's eyes widened in shock. The old feelings resurfaced, the memory of their break up fading away. Why did he break up with her again? He knew it was due to her playing house when they were younger, and then her trying everything she could to make him housebound… oh, that was it!

Frodo released her, clasping her arms in surprise. "Pearl, what are you doing? Others can see us."

"Oh, let them see." Pearl said, astonished. "I'd rather have you right now. Lotho's a worrywart."

Frodo nodded. The last thing he wanted was to see Pearl angry, but then he couldn't forget Lotho. Oh, where was he? Oh, there he was speaking with his mother, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Frodo moved away from Pearl, heading straight towards Lotho.

"Well, you won this battle, putting the hobbits in a pleasant mood. Congratulations." Lotho said, returning to his mother without complaint.

"Lotho." Frodo wasn't finished yet. "Listen, about the battle, it's… you should know that not everything's your fault. Everything happens for a reason."

"Hmm." Lotho thought for a moment. "So, you were supposed to win and I was supposed to lose. That's fair!"

"Actually," Frodo inquired, "I had hoped we would come to an understanding. Now I see that you won't need one." He walked away, keen on meeting Pearl and Sam.

"Frodo," Lotho said, stopping Frodo in his tracks, "you're a good lad." Frodo faced him, surprised the older hobbit would say those things.

"As are you. I hope you don't forget it." Frodo said with a smile.

"How could I not? You own Bag End, which will someday belong to me and Mama," Lotho said, pleased.

"Right. I'll see you later." Frodo said, making his way towards Sam and Pearl, who waited for his return.

There was a pause. Frodo wiped his brow with his sleeve. Sweat poured down his face, neck, and chest. He was exhausted. What he needed was a good bath and time with friends.

"So, what happens now?" Pearl asked, curious.

"Well, I wash up and then we head for the Green Dragon for some food and wine," Frodo suggested.

"Don't be long," Sam said, patting his arm.

"I won't. Trust me." Frodo nodded. It was time to go home anyway.

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Forty minutes passed after Frodo returned to Bag End. After he washed and changed into a clean white dress shirt, a lighter blue vest, and dark blue knee breeches, he made his way out of Bag End and back on the road to the Green Dragon. It was peaceful now, quiet. The kind of thing he needed after that concert.

At last, he made it inside the Green Dragon and ordered a drink, while looking around. He just didn't expect Pearl to come, nor to see her smiling face again. Why did they break up? He quite forgot after the fourth mug of ale.

"Pearl, you look beautiful," Frodo said, smirking.

"And you look handsome," Pearl said, blushing.

Frodo gulped. He hadn't expected that answer. "Thank you!"

"Have a happy evening, Frodo," Pearl said, ordering a drink as well.

"And to you," Frodo said, belching by accident. He needed to sit down, but for now, this moment would do.

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Thanks for reading. :)


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